A driver and passenger of one vehicle were rushed to hospitals and the driver of another vehicle has been arrested for drunk driving following a head-on collision that occurred near the Diagonal Highway and 63rd Street early Saturday morning.

The driver who caused the collision was identified as Dean Carlson, 56, of Texas, according to the Colorado State Patrol. He was taken to Boulder Community Hospital after the incident but was discharged on Saturday afternoon, arrested and booked into the Boulder County Jail on charges including DUI and vehicular assault.

The collision occurred when Carlson was traveling northbound on the Diagonal and somehow ended up in the southbound lane at 4:04 a.m, officials said. Carlson was driving a Chevrolet HHR when he hit a Toyota Yaris head-on, causing serious injuries to the female driver and male passenger in the Yaris.

"He was well within the southbound lane," Colorado State Trooper Nate Reid said, noting there is a large median between northbound and southbound lanes of the Diagonal where the accident occurred. "I don't know how he got there."

The driver of the Yaris was taken to Longmont United Hospital for serious injuries. The passenger was airlifted to Denver Health, also for serious injuries, officials said. Their names and conditions were not released Saturday.

Carlson was booked into the Boulder County Jail Saturday, according to Reid. He was arrested on suspicion of two counts of vehicular assault, one count of DUI and one count or reckless driving, Reid said. Carlson's bond had not been set by Saturday evening.

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